i asked 10.000 people about their favourite story (and read the best 10)

[@inastaria5075]

My dad joked about another stitch after I, the third child, was born (he didn't mean it) and the doctor deadpan looked up at him and said 'if you don't get a vasectomy, I'll sew her shut' because my mom got SO SO sick during pregnancy and the doctor really liked my mom and didn't want to see her suffer anymore (they already knew I was their last kid)

[@BucketIndeed]

Numbered List! 10. Things We Lost in the Fire - 1:36 9. The Husband Stitch - 4:42 8. The Paper Menagerie - 7:54 7. The Egg - 9:34 6. All Summer in a Day - 11:47 5. The Tell Tale Heart - 14:25 4. The Lottery - 16:27 3. The Six Deaths of the Saint - 19:37 2. The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas - 22:20 1. The Yellow Wallpaper - 23:20

[@jmsl_910]

tysm!!!!

[@Miriam3]

Thank you!!

[@JerrBaybEe]

God bless you 🥳

[@marieh5228]

Thank you ❤

[@sabiha.sayeed]

The bucket. The legend. BucketIndeed!

[@themoontomyconverses]

You should make this a series and just make your way through a bunch more short stories!! I feel like a person’s favorite short story is so personal and I‘d like to hear more of people‘s favorites!!!

[@aimeezingx]

Love seeing you get traumatized by The Lottery in real time. Now imagine reading that in class as a 12 year old! Definitely stuck with me. 😂

[@jmsl_910]

i was THAT teacher that had my middle school students read The Lottery. sorry

[@spudrina]

i was in a class that had us read the lottery and a good man is hard to find back to back when we were learning about southern gothic 😂😂

[@theflightyfairy4811]

My middle school class has us REINACT The Lottery

[@mariakara2419]

omg i think you just unlocked a core memory of mine from 6th grade... like i think we might have read that book in english class... i totally forgot about it till now and I kind of want to look up the whole premise and story and i will probably end up regretting it after lol.

[@hayleyemma7953]

12?? 😭😭😭 I was 17 and I'm still thinking about it 8 years later. Are you ok :')

[@keepingupwiththejoneses746]

We read The Lottery in grade 10. After reading it, our teacher had us reenact it with wadded up paper "stones". I will never forget that story

[@eriiii588]

Loved the concept of this video! I would be very much interested in viewing a similar video where you instead read 10 of the least popular short stories people recommended on this poll! I would like to see what obscure, hidden gems people love.

[@s_d429]

The fact that I was just getting prepared to go to bed but watching this is worth the tiredness I will have tomorrow

[@sieliestschonwieder1987]

Love The Language of Thorns story collection by Leigh Bardugo. The fairytalesque kind of telling really comes at hand and the stories are beautifully dark and deep.

[@RedTangler]

Really happy that Ray Bradbury made the list but a little sad that specifically his short story "There Will Come Soft Rains" didn't get more recommendations. From the sci-fi/technology themed short stories that I have read, that story definitely had me just quietly sitting in my chair for a little bit to process.

[@sweetviolents29]

SAME!! I was just about to comment something very similar

[@AmeliaDayal]

Yes, the three stories, the veldt, a sound of thunder, and there will come soft rains are all stories that made me have to sit with the themes. The veldt is such a unique portrayal of modern day technology, Bradbury's mind was so fascinating.

[@Person-zc1yv]

Yes, that’s the one I wanted to see as well! I had to analyze it for school and it was so interesting to dive into

[@ChelCReadsHere]

YES! I had a very similar experience

[@sophie1937]

its so good! I also just love the title

[@connyhk5731]

Going to bed in France with a Léonie video, what a perfect evening

[@Nao23.]

Oh my gosh me too!

[@Loonssssh]

Same !

[@annad1590]

Same! :)

[@Arawn505]

And at the start of the evening, in Paris, Carlos Alcaraz won Roland Garros by defeating that awful abuser Zverev! I was so happy ☺

[@grff_]

I haven't read many short stories w lasting impact, but Murder Mysteries by Neil Gaiman was so enjoyable to me. The dialogue most of all stuck with me for months and i still consider it a favorite

[@stanloona000]

The character growth from Leonie not liking/reading short stories to now is amazing

[@rainygreymornings]

Your videos have reached new heights of beauty lately, I love it. All the shots of the weather and cosy public places are so lovely. 💛

[@joec1801]

For me it’s Foster by irish author Claire Keegan. If you haven’t read it, you definitely should! It has a simple plot but is beautifully written.

[@Mia_M]

The film based off of it is so lovely too

[@joec1801]

@@Mia_M Yep! Seen that one. Fantastic adaptation!

[@fallonpawley8568]

Omg this story is so fantastic!!

[@yam288]

aw i’m so surprised Ted Chiang didn’t make it to the list! his short stories are some of the best i’ve read - love that i now have new recs from this video though ❤

[@theflightyfairy4811]

I think that short story collection was her favorite book from last year so probably just didn’t make it because she’d read them.

[@piligom4743]

It is so good!

[@barbara9315]

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed is a spectacular book. 90% of the stories stuck in my brain. ❤

[@VickyMeowM]

Mariana Enríquez is really good!!

[@isidoravitorovic1043]

The ten thousand doors of January is one of the most beautiful books I’ve read recently and I had no idea the author also wrote a short story! Very excited to read it!

[@tillydavvers]

I didn't enjoy 'the once and future witches' so kinda wrote them off, maybe will have to give them another try!

[@amolove24]

My favorite short story is definitely Matilda by Mary Shelley. I read fit for the first time last year when I bought it in London and I still think about it to this day. It’s so beautifully written but extremely depressing and the story behind the book and why it was published 100 years after it was written is super interesting to learn about.

[@yasminnn8]

20:50 exactly! I loved it so much and I love how I can relisten to the audiobook and feel like I'm experiencing a whole novel in just a little under an hour

[@tonibienbeck]

I looved The Six Deaths Of The Saint!!

[@jamesduggan7200]

Gogol's "Nose" long has been my favorite. Thx - enjoyed : )

[@princessprog]

i love short stories so much, they're some of the most emotionally impactful works of fiction i've ever read. a lot of the images in Raymond Carver's stories have stuck with me for years

[@jessicabox1]

I am so happy you read the six deaths of the saint. It is my fave

[@jacforswear18]

The Husband Stitch honestly kind of rocked me. I felt like it was kind of heavy handed at first… but then the end just made me feel so sick with it’s insidiousness. It was really the perfect short story.

[@JimenaBlack]

Mariana Enríquez is one of my favorite authors, i can tell you that all of her short stories collections are just a little bit "supernatural" or "paranormal". She writes about the real horrors of the society that we live in, at least in latin america, as a latinamerican myself (from México) thats what made me relate and love her writing soooo much. I saw an interview where she said that in order to make people feel anxious and unsetled you have to talk about horror things and pains that most people know about, like how does it feel to cut your hand with a piece of paper. I think you would probably love her novel Nuestra parte de noche (Our share of night) that is way more paranormal and it's reaaally good ❤ Thank you for the video, the perfect way to end My week as always ✨💕

[@VickyMeowM]

Nuestra Parte de Noche es mi libro favorito, es excelente!!!!

[@Libriecappuccini]

The six deaths of the saints is one of the best things I’ve ever read. It’s stunning, emotional, perfectly complete in such a short amount of pages. A masterpiece

[@seriouslywhatever1031]

Definitely get the complete works of Edgar Allan Poe. The cloth bound version is sooo worth it. The Raven (poem) and The Fable (short story) are my faves.

[@Guguchina]

Its a really new collection, but I really really loved The Secret Lives of Church Ladies. So many good stories in there: my favourites are Snowfall, Jael and When Eddie Levert Comes. Its so underrated. Philyaw's character depth is astounding

[@nitzeart]

A little unrelated, but as a Mexican, I hate the sun 😢 For the life of me I cannot understand when people get happy when the sun comes out. I love the cold, the rainy cloudy days. The sun is just too much and it burnsss 😅 I mean, I love it as a star, as the thing that makes life possible on Earth, but it is also too hot where I live and too much UV. (And that is just getting worse with climate change so...)

[@jmsl_910]

same! (although i live in NC, but moved her from chicago!)

[@pvnen]

I love seeing the sun, but I'm from Finland. It just feels great to see it and I love the warmt it gives when I'm directly hit by it, especially if I had been in a shade (this only happens in below 25°C after that it's a too hot) ☀

[@cmac8154]

To me the sun, like the ocean, is a (literally) awe-some force which I am thankful for and inspired by, but would not like more of.

[@nitzeart]

@pv1017 25°C hot? That is a cool summer day for me! 😅 I can enjoy those sunny days in winter or after days of rain and clouds, so I relate a little, but it's rare. I can see how if you live in a colder climate with less sun in winter and more rain you start really appreciating sunny days. Maybe if I ever live in such a place I might change my mind about the sun haha 🌞

[@nitzeart]

@@cmac8154 Right! Like the sun is super cool! I am in awe of it. The ocean too! But I would not like to live in the coat because the ocean is dangerous too and the sun is already too strong to bear where I live, at least half the year.

[@bookswithlau]

Me: thinking about trying to read short stories instead of huge books as I tend to do. Leonie: 🤗

[@appelsinpiken]

I just saw the first sentence of "The six deaths..." and my immediate reaction was tearing up. That story shattered me a few weeks ago. I never cried so many times on only several pages.

[@LaSeaChell]

The yellow wallpaper is absolutely my favorite!!!

[@XWaffleKillerX]

Every time I run out of books on my list to read at work and need new things to read I look to you, and you never let me down. ♡

[@khachok]

I think a short story collection called Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata would be right up your alley. Quirky, thought-provoking, somewhat gory/shocking in a slightly indirect way, written in a very original tone, explores the question "what is normal? And why is it so important?" from all sides; great metaphorical (and sometimes direct) critique of society. It was my best read of this year so far, at least when it comes to fiction. Sadly, I don't remember the title of the specific story out of this collection that I'd recommend to start with

[@barbaralemon4170]

So, I paused this vlog and went back to watch The Egg. Thanks for the recommendation! I so enjoyed that!!

[@emilia7114]

I study Russian Literature at university and I absolutely loved short stories by Anton Chekhov who is considered one of the greatest writers of short fiction even though it was only his hobby and he worked as a doctor. If you like stories about going mad, I wholeheartedly recommend “Ward No. 6” it’s really a food for thought 😊

[@piligom4743]

A really short story that I love is House of Asterion from Borges.

[@MisterJingo93]

Not sure if it´s even available or translated to english (or dutch for that matter) but "The fairytale of common sense" by Erich Kästner resonates with me. It´s kind of cynical, bus so very fitting.

[@annaann2584]

The way I gasped after you announced Six deaths of the saint. I was left traumatised by it, and completely wrecked. Definitely my favourite short story. It was painful, and it was something I needed to hear

[@aliA-jz5ms]

I love your cat!! Been following you for years! But today back to your channel After a year!! Hope she lives a happy long and wholesome life

[@LinnieCat]

I was waiting for Galatea by Madeleine Miller 😢 Under 30 pages but it’s perfection

[@StephMorgan_]

omg I just read The Six Deaths last week and it blew my mind! So glad you enjoyed it!

[@UnfortunateArchives]

I was so happy to see you read The Paper Menagerie. The entire collection is one of my favorite books of all time, and ever since you mentioned how much you enjoyed Story of your life and others, I kept thinking that you would probably love this one too!

[@_vassilian]

The Egg (the video) made me so emotional. The beauty of the idea of it.

[@ayabouchareb6791]

I am so happy that you got to read The Six deaths of the saint!!!!!! Definitely deserves all the hype around it The short story that I read lately lately and really stuck with me is The Garden Of Time, and it was every bit magical but terrifying at the same time. Highly recommend

[@portiakunz3378]

If you need more recommendations, I loved The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw (the whole collection, I refuse to pick), Récitatif by Toni Morrison, and anything by Horacio Quiroga (but maybe Juan Darien or The Decapitated Chicken as favorites?). Susanna Clarke has a very funny Rumpelstiltskin retelling in her collection as well that I loved.

[@ramona4290]

This is crazy, I want to read all of them now! I spend lots of time on the train and usually listen to music or podcasts.. but end up scrolling social media. Since most of these are in the public domain, I will try to read a few of these stories the next weeks. Lovely video as always, you have such a calming vibe, and the way you edit your videos is incredibly beautiful. I only found your channel a couple of weeks ago but you've become some of my faves who I'm happiest to see pop up in my KZbin feed❤️

[@layalialsudairy9992]

I’m currently slowest reading “ things we loset in the fire” and I’m loving the writing! I’ve also read the lottery, and it’s incredible. I’ll try to read the rest of your list. I’ll probably borrow them from Libby. Thank you for sharing😄😄

[@circleofleaves2676]

Anthony Doerr's short story collection The Shell Collector is wonderful. Within that collection, two stories in particular are my favourite: The Caretaker, and Mkondo.

[@escritoporjess]

this video is so long and so beautiful, I've been watching it in pieces for the last week and every time I watch like 30 sec, I regain my desire to read. Thanks for the creativity, Leo ❤

[@Sonja98]

The Paper Menagerie made me CRY when I first read it. It's definitely the best short story I've ever read :')

[@very_tiny_birb]

The one that's stuck with me is The Censors by Luisa Valenzuela. I read it during one of my Spanish literature classes in college and I still think about it often.

[@misuko1792]

I think that you woud reaaaaally enjoy Julio Cortazar´s short stories. For me it was life changing

[@val.daffodils]

This was so fun to watch! I also struggle with short stories, so I'm happy to see well-loved and approved recommendations! I'll look into them!

[@ambarrose]

Whenever I am on a reading crisis I tend to turn to short stories. They are nice and fast to read.

[@mxlucacv]

I haven't read most of these stories but now I am certainly planning on reading them! I would also like to recommend my favorite short story: The Corpse Exhibition by Hassan Blasim. The entire short story collection that story is in (with the same name) is so good, but this one is my favorite! Though I would recommend looking up the trigger warnings for the entire text beforehand because it is a lot.

[@vanessalamontagne4443]

Plan to rewatch this to take notes on short stories to read! I have not read a ton, but one I enjoyed last year from the dark academia anthology was Prythia. I also read the short story the met gala was based on (it was available online) and I loved it.

[@miranda4073]

Shirley Jackson is my everything. Very "your favorite writer's favorite writer" type of underrated

[@tm.mihaela]

I love the Ken Liu short stories. I read both volumes, The Paper Menagerie and The Hidden Girl. If you want other animated versions of his stories, there an episode of Love, Death + Robots which adapts the Good Hunting story. Also Pantheon, an animated series inspired by several stories in the Hidden Girl volume.

[@thedylangirl]

Everyday Use by Alice Walker. I read it in 1999 and bring it up at least weekly.

[@jociegeertsema9487]

The Little Match Girl will haunt me forever.

[@gulsubartan5267]

A bit disappointed not seeing Margaret Atwood on the recommendations. Any short story from her is such a nice treat! I recently finished Old Babes in the Wood, enjoyed every bit.

[@tillydavvers]

Recently finished this too, the one with the snail I loved in particular! And the final two with Nell, I wept!

[@gulsubartan5267]

@@tillydavversI loved the snail one! I needed to physically put down the book after each story for an unknown time frame to heal myself!

[@phenexrose]

I remember being a kid & stumbling on to the tv movie version of All Summer in a Day. It made a huge impact on me & stuck with me for decades! I didn't read the story until years later, then had to rewatch the movie. If you're interested in watching it, it can be found on youtube. I loved this video. I was happy to find a mix of stories I already love & new ones I can't wait to read.

[@emilycuneo42]

I read The Six Deaths of the Saint after watching this. It was INCREDIBLE. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@viir.lfc94]

I still haven't watched the video but I wanted to thank you for focusing on short stories. They are one of the most important formats in my country's literary history (I'm from Argentina) and they often get overlooked in other places. It's so refreshing to see them here, I live short stories so much ❤ Edit: after writing this comment I saw that the first story you read was by a fellow Argentinian, that's so cool ❤

[@alexa2269]

I really enjoyed watching this video. Short stories are so interesting to read but are often less talk about and quite hard to discover on your own. Some of my favorites made it to the list and it made me curious to read other stories as well. I will definitely read the other ones in the future. Great video!

[@coly15]

The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury is also in my opinion one of his best short stories! Absolutely became a favorite when I read it because of its dystopian themes and setting, as well as its commentary. The author also wrote it based on a real experience he and his friend went through.

[@cdocenko]

Ahhh, my favorite short story is "The Ones who walk away from Omelas"... highly recommend!

[@twinklybones8952]

I read Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? in high school for a college class and it has stuck with me. very unsettling (loosely based on a true story) and it’s really interesting to look into interpretations as well!

[@cindyr4918]

Brilliant idea for a video! I am inspired to ask other people about their favorite short stories to read because it is notoriously hard to find good short stories. If I purchase collections, I usually only like one or two of the stories. "The Lottery" was definitely one that stuck with me, as well as "The Telltale Heart" and "The Yellow Wallpaper". I tend to like a lot of F. Scott Fitzgerald's and Amor Towles' short stories as well.

[@AllyEmReads]

I remember reading All Summer in a Day in school and I was sooooo upset! I also read The Lottery in school, definitely have NEVER forgotten it in the 10+ years since I read it for the first time, as well as The Tell Tale Heart, The Masque of the Red Death, The Cask of Amontillado (my favorite Poe), The Landlady by Roald Dahl (also traumatized me in 9th grade), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and An Incident at Owl Creek Bridge (probably my anti-recommendation, I had to read this in 11th grade and it triggered the worst panic attack I've ever had and I had to be sent home)

[@rindou_chwan]

I recommend Maupassant's short story 'The Horla,' which explores the unsettling tale of a man who gradually descends into madness-or perhaps is truly haunted by an invisible, malevolent being. As he chronicles his experiences in a diary, he becomes increasingly convinced that a supernatural entity is manipulating his thoughts and actions. It's probably my favorite french short story so far !

[@laradadic908]

This came at a perfect time ❤ also made me want to get into short stories this summer!

[@MamaBookFox]

The Lottery and Those Who Walk Away From the Omelas traumatized me in high school English class, and then afterward, I had to go to lunch hour as if everything was fine.

[@sarajesus744]

My favorite short story is "The garden party" by Katherine Mansfield. She did only wrote short storys, but all beauthiful written. Her storys are about human conections and simple daily moments. Other short short story that did stuck with me was "The awakening" by Kate Chopin, about an unhappy marriage and the search of the woman for find happiness in her live. Also Jorge Luis Borges is a great short story writer.

[@jessikarouse2894]

Great video! The Husband Stitch is one of the most impactful short stories I’ve read. I will definitely be checking out the other stories mentioned!

[@HavaDay5979]

I read All Summer in a Day when I was much younger. It broke my heart so much I still think about it.

[@howloudcansilenceget8884]

Loved the video idea and got lots of ideas on what to put on my list if I am stressed in life and do not have time to read a whole book but miss it and need thought-provoking literature

[@aaaacarolina]

So happy to see Mariana Enriquez made it to the list! She is so good at capturing latin america's horrors, it always feels like something that could happen in my neighbourhood. I love her writing and the aura of mystery in her stories, hope you like them too!

[@johnmurph2968]

Theres a faulkner quote my dad always says “a novelist is a failed short story writer and a short story writer is a failed poet” i think about it all the time!

[@tillydavvers]

Currently waiting for 'the dangers of smoking in bed' from the library and have The Paper Menagerie on my bookshelf waiting for me. This video makes me even more excited to read them!

[@emilymalkieri]

I read Six Deaths of the Saint earlier this year and loved it! Thought you had recommended it but clearly not so it must have been Cari. I also really liked Tamsin Muir's short story from the same collection, "Undercover".

[@KingOfMelos]

The Saria's Song remix you have at the end of each video is so nice!

[@shriyajoshi744]

Its 2.30am in india. But who cares? I am gonna watch this anyway.🎀

[@artisticpri]

I loved the video! The photography, audio and ambience looks fantastic! Also, you're so beautiful!

[@Arawn505]

19:49 What a nice garden!

[@melinaalba63]

My two absolute favorite short stories, aside from some mentioned in this video, are probably 1. The dream of a ridiculous man by Dostojewski, it just stuck with me since i read it like 7 years ago and i read it several times since then, and 2. An extinct angel, which is about feminisim in a kind of "abstract" way. I can recommend both wholeheartedly and they're old so both are in public domain

[@aligolden4436]

The cat who saved books is a great book!

[@lorn9876]

All Summer in a Day!!! i remember it blew my little 12 year old mind. i should reread it

[@anna2731]

The Lottery is a perfect short story!

[@ephinygale]

Loving the short story love! My favourite short story writers are Gwendolyn Kiste, Vanessa Fogg, Tara Calaby and Catherynne Valente.

[@corinn2222]

First of all fantastic video! Second I think I’d be really cool to do this with original fairy tales. Third tell tale heart is my favorite Poe! Yessss! Fourth guy de Maupassant has a famous short story called boule de suif and I don’t know why it stays with me always

[@abras-les-reves5592]

Thank you for this video, Leonie! I hope you get around to reading some Jhumpa Lahiri some day. Her way of depicting human feelings is masterful!

[@wickerlibrary]

a short story that I found really beautiful that was told in SUCH an interactive, beautiful way was "the boat" (2015) by nam le. it is technically more of a comic, but has musical and animated elements illustrated by matt huynh. takes only a few minutes to read (for free! if you search up the name and author it usually comes up, it's won a lot of awards) and really made me rethink stories and the ways they're told!

[@lightwoodalec5037]

The way I put down my food to the story of the husband's stitch .. absolutely horrendous

[@noneofyourbusiness5897]

That is an amazing list! I’ve read seven out of the ten and those were all fantastic. I will have to find Things We Lost in the Fire, The Egg and All Summer in a Day.

[@MartasTBRProject]

a short story that I love is actually from the same short story collection as The Lottery, and it's The Renegade. I had to put down the book for like a day after finishing it.

[@Storiaphil]

Herbert Lawrence, Guy De Mupassant and Lucy Montgomery's short stories are amazing. I recommend reading them. ❤️

[@gggallagher2656]

the ecstasy of horror by wrath james white was incredible. a collection of short stories and poems, one poem took me three reads to fully understand. However, don't go into this expecting just to be scared. it made me sick to my stomach several times, and I have an affinity for gory, highly descriptive books (like exquisite corpse. if you liked that book you would enjoy this one).

[@emmapaige624]

Her Body and Other Parties was one of my favorite reads last year!